The Lucky Country is an insider’s outside view of Australia’s most important political and
economic debates. Hosted by The Australia Institute’s Chief Economist Richard
Denniss, The Lucky Country is a weekly podcast from Schwartz Media which applies
common sense to complex issues.

Eurovision showed supporters of European integration their European future: a bearded girl.

Dmitry RogozinRussia’s deputy prime minister expresses surprise that Austrian drag artist Conchita Wurst could win in the once ruggedly heterosexual world of Eurovision. Forget Greece, this is Europe’s real problem.

WAR

At one point, Solange smacks Jay with her purse ... spilling the contents all over the floor of the elevator.

TMZThe gossip website reports on love lost in an elevator between Jay Z and sister-in-law Solange Knowles, a one-sided brawl mercifully contained by a bodyguard the size of a phone booth.

REST

I went a bit sleepy. I’ve had about 38 interviews today, roughly.

Clive PalmerThe elected member of parliament – repeat: elected member of parliament – explains why his eyes were closed and his chin was resting on his stomach during question time.

SPORT

It’s a sad thing to see people in your circumstances in this court.

Clare FarnanThe magistrate confirms courts are not for successful people, sentencing Olympian Geoff Huegill and his wife, Sara Hills, to six-month good behaviour bonds for cocaine possession. Huegill said he would struggle to explain the crime to his daughters. Which makes sense: they are aged two and four months.

EVIDENCE

The families deserve to know this. They have borne the brunt of this.

Kevin RuddThe two-time former prime minister fronts the royal commission into his government’s home insulation scheme. Instead of answering questions on oversight, he asks a few, and then appeals for clarity for the relatives of people who died during the scheme.